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[tooth and nail] See: HAMMER AND TONGS.

[tooth and nail]{adv. phr.} With all weapons or ways of fighting as hard as possible; fiercely. — Used after "fight" or a similar word. •/When the Indian girl was captured, she fought tooth and nail to get away./ •/The farmers fought tooth and nail to save their crops from the grasshoppers./ •/His friends fought tooth and nail to elect him to Congress./

[toot one’s own horn] See: BLOW ONE’S OWN HORN.

[top] See: AT THE TOP OF ONE’S VOICE, BIG TOP, BLOW A FUSE or BLOW ONE’S TOP, HARD-TOP, OFF THE TOP OF ONE’S HEAD, ON TOP, ON TOP OF, ON TOP OF THE WORLD, OVER THE TOP.

[top banana] or [top dog]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} The head of any business or organization; the most influential or most prestigious person in an establishment. •/Who’s the top banana in this outfit?/ See: MAIN SQUEEZE.

[to pass] See: COME TO PASS.

[top-drawer]{adj.}, {informal} Of the best; or most important kind. •/Mary’s art work was top-drawer material./ •/Mr. Rogers is a top-drawer executive and gets a very high salary./

[topflight] or [topnotch] See: TOP DRAWER.

[to pieces]{adv. phr.} 1. Into broken pieces or fragments; destroyed. •/The cannon shot the town to pieces./ •/The vase fell to pieces in Mary’s hand./ 2. {informal} So as not to work; into a state of not operating. •/After 100,000 miles the car went to pieces./ •/When Mary heard of her mother’s death, she went to pieces./ 3. {informal} Very much; greatly; exceedingly. •/Joan was thrilled to pieces to see Mary./ •/The noise scared Bob to pieces./ 4. See: PICK APART.

[top off]{v.} To come or bring to a special or unexpected ending; climax. •/John batted three runs and topped off the game with a home run./ •/Mary hadn’t finished her homework, she was late to school, and to top it all off she missed a surprise test./ •/George had steak for dinner and topped it off with a fudge sundae./

[to put It mildly] See: TO SAY THE LEAST.

[torch] See: CARRY A TORCH.

[to reason] See: STAND TO REASON.

[to rest] See: LAY TO REST.

[to rights] See: PUT TO RIGHTS or SET TO RIGHTS.

[to Rome] See: ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME.

[to say nothing of] See: NOT TO MENTION.

[to say the least]{v. phr.} To understate; express as mildly as possible. •/After all we did for him, his behavior toward us, to say the least, was a poor way to show his appreciation./

[to scale]{adv. phr.} In the same proportions as in the true size; in the same shape, but not the same size. •/The statue was made to scale, one inch to a foot./ •/He drew the map to scale, making one inch represent fifty miles./

[to sea] See: PUT TO SEA.

[to shame] See: PUT TO SHAME.

[to size] See: CUT DOWN TO SIZE.

[to speak of]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Important; worth talking about; worth noticing. — Usually used in negative sentences. •/Did it rain yesterday? Not to speak of./ •/What happened at the meeting? Nothing to speak of./ •/Judy’s injuries were nothing to speak of; just a few scratches./ Compare: NOT TO MENTION.

[to spite one’s face] See: CUT OFF ONE’S NOSE TO SPITE ONE’S FACE.

[toss off]{v. phr.} 1. To drink rapidly; drain. •/He tossed off two drinks and left./ 2. To make or say easily without trying or thinking hard. •/She tossed off smart remarks all during dinner./ •/He thinks a reporter should be able to toss off an article every few hours./

[toss one to the sharks] See: THROW ONE TO THE WOLVES.

[toss out] See: THROW OUT.

[total] See: SUM TOTAL.

[to task] See: TAKE TO TASK.

[to terms] See: BRING TO TERMS, COME TO TERMS.

[to that effect]{adj.} or {adv. phr.} With that meaning. •/She said she hated spinach, or words to that effect./ •/When I leave, I will write you to that effect so you will know./

[to the best of one’s knowledge] As far as you know; to the extent of your knowledge. •/He has never won a game, to the best of my knowledge./ •/To the best of my knowledge he is a college man, but I may be mistaken./

[to the bitter end]{adv. phr.} To the point of completion or conclusion. — Used especially of a very painful or unpleasant task or experience. •/Although Mrs. Smith was bored by the lecture, she stayed to the bitter end./ •/They knew the war would be lost, but the men fought to the bitter end./

[to the bone]{adv.}, {slang}, {informal} Thoroughly, entirely, to the core, through all layers. •/I am dreadfully tired; I’ve worked my fingers to the bone./ See: ALSO WORK ONE’S FINGERS TO THE BONE.

[to the bottom] See: GET TO THE BOTTOM OF.

[to the contrary]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} With an opposite result or effect; just the opposite; in disagreement; saying the opposite. •/Although Bill was going to the movies, he told Joe to the contrary./ •/We will expect you for dinner unless we get word to the contrary./ •/School gossip to the contrary, Mary is not engaged to be married./ Compare: ON THE CONTRARY.

[to the effect that]{adj. phr.} With the meaning or purpose; to say that. •/He made a speech to the effect that we would all keep our jobs even if the factory were sold./ •/The new governor would do his best in the office to which he had been elected./

[to the eye]{adv. phr.} As it is seen; as a person or thing first seems; apparently. •/That girl looks to the eye like a nice girl to know, but she is really rather mean./ •/That suit appears to the eye to be a good buy, but it may not be./ Compare: AT FIRST GLANCE.